Hi, my name is Kati Searcy. I’m a TAG teacher at New Prospect Elementary School as well as the TAG Support teacher for the northeast learning community. I am one of two coaches for our schools’ SWAT Team, and the SWAT Team is what I’d like to talk about tonight.
SWAT stands for Students Working to Advance Technology. The team is made up of 4th and 5th grade students who completed an application and interviewed in order to secure a place on the team. This year we have eight students on the team.
We have a designated tech team area where SWAT members work before school each morning from 7:10 – 7:40.
Students in kindergarten to fifth grade can bring a device and get help with tools, shortcuts, and apps. The team often advertises an app or program of the week, so that students who want to know about that specifically will come. It’s a popular place in the mornings.
The SWAT team maintains a bulletin board with helpful hints for both students and teachers.
This year, the SWAT team prepared and led two teacher trainings after school. They also created an online course for teachers about tools for authentic assessment.
Over 20 teachers participated in these trainings and many said it was the best PD that they have ever received.
Obviously this was great for the teachers, but more importantly, it was wonderful to see these students learn the tools, prepare a polished presentation, and then reverse roles as they became the teacher and their teachers became the students.
When our school leadership team decided to create a technology-based makerspace, they asked the SWAT team to go shopping for items they thought should be in the space. They will learn about these gadgets and then teach others.
As a culminating activity for this year, the SWAT team took a field trip to the Apple store at Avalon where they learned about coding with spheros. Next year, the returning team members will be ready to train others.
SWAT stands for Students Working to Advance Technology. The team is made up of 4th and 5th grade students who completed an application and interviewed in order to secure a place on the team. This year we have eight students on the team.
We have a designated tech team area where SWAT members work before school each morning from 7:10 – 7:40.
Students in kindergarten to fifth grade can bring a device and get help with tools, shortcuts, and apps. The team often advertises an app or program of the week, so that students who want to know about that specifically will come. It’s a popular place in the mornings.
The SWAT team maintains a bulletin board with helpful hints for both students and teachers.
This year, the SWAT team prepared and led two teacher trainings after school. They also created an online course for teachers about tools for authentic assessment.
Over 20 teachers participated in these trainings and many said it was the best PD that they have ever received.
Obviously this was great for the teachers, but more importantly, it was wonderful to see these students learn the tools, prepare a polished presentation, and then reverse roles as they became the teacher and their teachers became the students.
When our school leadership team decided to create a technology-based makerspace, they asked the SWAT team to go shopping for items they thought should be in the space. They will learn about these gadgets and then teach others.
As a culminating activity for this year, the SWAT team took a field trip to the Apple store at Avalon where they learned about coding with spheros. Next year, the returning team members will be ready to train others.